ISLAMABAD: Rice exports from Pakistan have seen a significant growth at the end of December, 2017. This statement was given by Mr. Rafique Suleman, Senior Vice Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, while talking with news reporters. He shared the half yearly figures of rice exports during the period of July to December 2017. He said that at the end of December 2017, rice exports for the fiscal year 2017-18 (July to Dec 2017) had seen a significant growth as compared to last fiscal year 2016-17 (July to Dec 2016). He said that this year we exported a total of 1.9 million metric tons of rice amounting to US$ 881 million, whereas in the last fiscal year we had exported 1.64 million metric tons of rice amounting to US$ 682 million, which shows an overall growth of 29% in values and 15% in quantity. He said it pleased him to inform the media that Indonesia has also floated a tender for procurement of a large quantity of rice and two Pakistani companies are also included as successful bidders. He was very hopeful that this year, we had set a target to export more than 4.0 million metric tons of Pakistani rice and we will be able to achieve the US$ 2 billion mark. He expressed his gratitude to the Government of Pakistan and specially the Pakistan High Commission at Nairobi for their excellent support to handle the recent issue against Pakistani rice exporters. He said that Kenya is the largest buyer of Pakistani rice and during the half year of this fiscal year (July to Dec 2017) we have exported 240,000 metric tons of rice amounting to US$ 85 Million. He need to focus on the issues and problems and urged to rectify them and make a strategy for the improvement of rice exports in future. He also showed his concern on the decline of exports to China, which was the 2nd largest destination for Pakistani rice exporters. At the end of December 2017, only 174,000 metric tons of rice valuing US$ 56.8 million had been exported there. He requested the concerned government authorities to take serious notice and take urgent measures and steps to improve the rice exports to China. He said that Iran and Saudi Arabia are the major buyers of basmati rice and we are hopeful that after resolving the Payment Problem / Banking Channel with Iran, Pakistani basmati rice will get a significant boast which has been facing a severe decline for the last three years. He further stated that this year demand for rice has increased in the international market and rates of Pakistani rice are cheaper than our competitors, Thailand and Vietnam and international buyers are keeping an eye on Pakistan for their competitive rates. We hope that this year we will see remarkable growth in Pakistani rice exports. Published in Daily Times, January 21st 2018.